Advertising device



June 27, 1939.

H. S. RAY

ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed May 3, 1938 Patented June 27, 1939 UNIT-ED :STATES PAT-ENT AOFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates principally to bill-board type of advertising and in which by a combina# tion of projected stationary and moving shadows on a white ground a type of Vanimation is given to the advertising. AMy invention also comprehends that instead of using silhouettes or shadows I 4may project white or Ycolored -outlines and use the combination of a stationary outline in conjunction with a movi'ngoutline yto lproduce-the 1 0 animation.

On a blank-faced :bill-board I project a stationary shadow or silhouette which for insta-nce could represent the skyline of la Ycity or town showing the shadows and other features in cutouts showing the outline "as `if there lwere lights in the building. In conjunction with this Iutilize moving shadows. For instance for advertising airplane service or travel I may have the lshadow or outline of an airplane passing lacross the billboard. Another characteristic of -my invention is having both the stationary and the movi-ng shadow constructed -in miniature and distorted as to normal appearance so that when va 'light is projected obliquely-on Athe face or Apanel of the billboard and the silhouettes cast yashadow, such shadows Vhave the normal appearance to identify the objects desired.

Another characteristic -of my invention -is exhibiting and blocking out advertising Imatter in the stationary shadow or silhouette, thus for in.-

stance a name or -word may'be made in cut'ou'ts or `transparencies -in the stationary silhouette. Then in normal projection Asuch Word or -other device appears brilliant Lby contrast with the I shadow. -In order to call attention to -such advertising word or device this is periodically blocked out leaving a complete shadow. A vlfeature of my invention comprises accomplishing -this gby having an opaque surface or section -of the Itransparent 40 belt or screen and causing this to lbe movedacross the stationary outline orsilhouette in order to periodically blockout the transparencies of lsuch word or device. This Ablocking :out'fopaq-ue area is mounted on the same transparent screen Jon which the moving .silhouette isalso mounted.

My invention is illustrated in connection xwith the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation .o'f a Ibill-board showing one typeof advertising.

Fig. 2 is a vertical .section on .a :reduced scale showing in diagram theequipment.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the yprojector system taken substantially .on the .line 3--3 of Fig. l in .the direction of Vthe arrows 55 `and presuming the aeroplane device has been moved `to align with this section, such section showing in vertical cross section a portion of the stationary miniature silhouette device and the section of the 4movi-ng belt. Y

Fig. 4 is a partial elevation of Fig. 3 taken in ,5 the direction of the arrow 4 showing a `portion of the stationary miniature silhouette -device and back of this a portion of the moving screen lor Atransparency having an opaque or blocked out section.

Fig. 5 is an voptical diagram illustrating the manner in which a small and distorted miniature for silhouette casts the desired outline and shadow.

In my invention I employ a bill-board 'I I hav- 15 Aing -a face or panel I2 on which the shadows or illuminated outlines are shown or exhibited. A substantially horizontal hood I3 is illustrated at the top, this having a downwardly inclined canopy -I4 connected thereto, preferably by an yorna- ).930 mental cap surface I5. Within the canopy I employ the projection equipment designated by the Aassembly Anumeral 20. Such equipment vernploys Va suitable frame '2| in which if an endless belt is used designated 22. Vrollers 23 are vmounted .25 at each end of the frame. 'In the illustration I 'show small rollers in which there are a front set supporting the `lower or projection run 24 of the belt facing the panel 1I'2 .of the bill-board at an inclination. Of course itwill be understood that 30 Ya single large roller at each end might .be used or the Vbelt or transparency might be in the :form of van lelongated band wound on rollers at opposite ends of the bill-board in which case the re :versal of the direction of the rollers will reverse .135 the direction lof the movement of the shadows. The driving rrollers may be operated '.by any suitable device indicated in .diagram by the electric motor and drive designated .25.

'I'he projector light mounting 3i) Aincludes a 4o suitable reflector 3l llocated in the space between the two :runs of the .endless vbelt and this has a rbank of lights 32 preferably using velongated lighting 'tubes v,or ya mass of small electric lamps, `these ,being so positioned .that the light is 4prol45 jected as from an illuminated area rather than from .an individual source .of light. The .reflector yand zthe Flamps `are .positioned so that .the rays of Ilight .are .projected obliquely .towards the face of the bill-board and pass obliquelythrough the transparent endless belt, that is, the lower run of .such b elt. `On this belt I .provide miniature silhouettes, one ofwhich is illustrated in Fig, 5 vand .designated-'33. While `this 4is shown as a. small rectangle iniFig. 5 it .casts or projects a 55 shadow indicated at 34 as being square, hence by having a small figure on the transparent belt of the proper outline, I may project a shadow or silhouette indicated by the airplane silhouette 35 of Fig. l. In addition on the endless belt I also have opaque areas 35 (note Fig. 4) and as the belt is moving these opaque areas pass across the billboard.

The stationary shadow is formed by the stationary silhouette device 40. This is a cut-out structure in wood, metal or any suitable flat material and has its base 4| secured in the frame 2! or to the canopy I4. Such device is located between the lower run of the endless or transparent belt and the face or panel of the bill-board and is placed obliquely to such surface and preferably parallel to the face of the lower run of the belt.

In the illustration of Fig. 1 this stationaryV silhouette or shadow device is of such a shape that it casts a silhouette or shadow 45 representing the skyline of a town or a series of buildings such as they would appear before a bright background. In order to give the appearance of buildings being illuminated at night, the shadow device 4@ has a series of cut-outs or transparencies representing windows 46. Further to represent an illuminated word or sign I provide further cut-outs or translparencies forming in the illustration the word Mill indicated at 4l. This may be a word or device formed in the stationary shadow structure 4B and as the light projects through this the letters of the word or device show by their brilliant illumination and contrast with the dense Shadow of the other parts of the stationary silhouette. The blocking out opaque area 35 on the endless belt is so located that in the travel of the belt it blocks out the light through the cutouts or transparencies which form the word or device 41 and periodically by obstructing the light cause this advertising matter to disappear. This occurs periodically depending on the number of blocking out areas on the endless belt. Thus with my invention I may have the actual moving shadows or silhouettes visible on the panel of the bill-board or have stationary illimiinated matter or devices which is periodically blocked out by an opaque area on the endless belt.

It is obvious that instead of having silhouettes or shadows of the moving type, that I may employ an opaque endless belt with cut-outs or transparencies so that an outline of brilliant illumination is projected on the panel of the bill-board and moves thereacross from side to side. In this case with the fixed shadow device 40 giving a fixed shadow on the bill-board, the eifect will depict a moving brilliant outline which may be in color moving across the bill-board in the desired relation to the fixed shadow. It is also manifest that I may provide a fixed brilliant illuminated device such as a transparency which gives the stationary outline on a bill-board and in conjunction with this, either employ the silhouettes by using opaque iigures or transparencies giving brilliantly illuminated gures or outlines passing across the bill-board. Y

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An advertising device comprising in combination a bill-board having an advertising vertical face, a projection equipment including a longitudinally movable belt positioned adjacent the top and .spaced forward of the face of the board, the belt forming an acute angle with the face of the board, such belt having light pattern forming devices thereon and an illuminating means positioned on the side of the belt remote from the face of the board whereby such devices cause light patterns to be developed on the face of the board moving with the belt.

2. An advertising device comprising in combination a bill-board having a vertical face, a hood or canopy extending outwardly from the upper edge of the face at a downward inclination and enclosing a projection equipment, such projection equipment including a frame having rollers at least one of which with the driving means and an endless belt operated over such rollers, the lower run of the belt considered transversely forming an acute angle With the face of the board, the belt having a series of light pattern devices, illuminating means with a reflector positioned in the frame between the lower and upper runs oi the belt whereby as the light pattern devices move longitudinally of the board, complementary light patterns are formed on the board.

3. An advertising device as claimed in claim 2, a stationary silhouette figure device mounted between the illuminating means and the face of the bill-board whereby light projected from said source outlines a stationary shadow on the face of the bill-board.

An advertising device comprising in combination a bill-board having a vertical face, a source of projection light, a xed shadow device positioned between the source of'light and the bill-board and arranged whereby the light from the said source is directed at an angle other than a right angle to the board and thereby forms a fixed shadow or silhouette, the fixed shadow device having transparencies whereby light is projected through such transparencies showing brilliant illuminations in the shadow or silhouette on the face of the board and a moving opaque blocking out area device mounted to move between the source of the light and the fixed shadow device to obstruct the light through the cut-outs or transparencies and thereby block the illumination exhibited on the fixed shadow.

5. An advertising device comprising in combination a bill-board having a vertical face, a xed shadow device positioned adjacent the upper part of said face and at an angle to said face, a source of light positioned beyond the said shadow device relative to the face of the board and adapted to cast a shadow downwardly obliquely on the board and thereby produce a fixed shadow on the board, the outline of the shadow being materially diiferent in shape from the outline of the shadow device due to the oblique projection o f light, a movable shadow forming device located between the source of light and the xed shadow device,- means to move said movable shadow forming device from one end of the billboard towards the other whereby the shadow cast on the bill-board overlaps the fixed shadow and therebyA changes the appearance of suchV fixed shadow. i Y

6. An advertising device comprising in combination ak bill-board having a vertical face, a fixed shadow device positioned adjacent the upper part of said face and vat an angle to said face, a source of light positioned beyond the said shadow device relative to the face Vof the board and adapted to cast a shadow ydownwardly obliquely on the board and thereby produce a iixed shadow on the board, the .outline of the shadow being materially different in shape from the outline of the shadow device due to the oblique projection of light, a movable transparent medium of sheet form with means to move same longitudinally of the bill-board and between the fixed shadow device and the source of light, said transparency having a silhouette thereon positioned above the xed shadow device to cast a shadow on the face of the bill-board above the xed shadow.

'7. An advertising device comprising in combination a bill-board having a vertical face, a light projection equipment including a source o light, a belt having a run between the projection light and the bill-board, the face of the belt being inclined to the face of the board, said belt having one or more light pattern forming devices thereon whereby the light projected forms a light pattern on the face of the bill-board, means to move the belt and thereby move the pattern across the board, a shadow forming device interposed between the light source and the face of the board to cast a xed shadow on the board.

8. An advertising device as claimed in claim 7, the shadow forming device having transparencies and thereby projecting illuminated portransparencies.

HARRY S. RAY. 

